I was a nervous wreck while in the waiting room at the clinic. Thank God I'm STD free!!

Anyone else been in this situation?

I know this is kinda personal, but I'm so happy I'm CLEAN!!

Oh damn.

Great, and it should be pretty easy to stay that way.

I was this way when I went in for my mamogram... I am OK.

i'm glad for you

Yep... totally understand where you were at... in my 20's I'd broken up with a girl because I found out she was sleeping with the whole damn neighborhood and I was scared to death I'd caught something...

when I got the news I was clean I impulsively grabbed a female friend who'd come to lend supprt and kissed her deeply...

happy for you!

[Edited 12/7/11 18:47pm]

RenHoek said:

Yep... totally understand where you were at... in my 20's I'd broken up with a girl because I found out she was sleeping with the whole damn neighborhood and I was scared to death I'd caught something...

when I got the news I was clean I impulsively grabbed a female friend who'd come to lend supprt and kissed her deeply...

MODERATOR?!? When did this happen?

Congratulations? Congratulations!

RodeoSchro said:

RenHoek said:

Yep... totally understand where you were at... in my 20's I'd broken up with a girl because I found out she was sleeping with the whole damn neighborhood and I was scared to death I'd caught something...

when I got the news I was clean I impulsively grabbed a female friend who'd come to lend supprt and kissed her deeply...

MODERATOR?!? When did this happen?

Congratulations? Congratulations!

oh pshaw...

RodeoSchro said:

Congratulations? Congratulations!

Exactly.

Yes. I've dealt with that exact feeling before. It sucked, but the end result felt so good that the two kind of balanced each other out. I can't imagine what it must feel like to be told you've tested positive.

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

johnart said:

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

Wait a minute. Poz as in HIV positive? Is that something you just sprung on people out of the blue right there, or is it something you've discussed before? Because we've talked about some pretty heavy shit over the years and I had no idea. Dude, that's heavy. ... not really sure what else to say.

Cerebus said:

johnart said:

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

Wait a minute. Poz as in HIV positive? Is that something you just sprung on people out of the blue right there, or is it something you've discussed before? Because we've talked about some pretty heavy shit over the years and I had no idea. Dude, that's heavy. ... not really sure what else to say.

It's not something I like to have huge long discussions about, because well...it's shit I have to deal with just like other folk have to deal with some other illnesses or heavy shit, but this is something that has been discussed in the past. Here and at NPGU.

Since '97, but like I said, undetectable and healthy. Knock on wood. (hehe..."wood:)

Terrib3Towel said:

I was a nervous wreck while in the waiting room at the clinic. Thank God I'm STD free!!

Anyone else been in this situation?

I know this is kinda personal, but I'm so happy I'm CLEAN!!

Yes Lord. Twice.

johnart said:

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

I agree. I've been poz since 2008 and like you, undetectable and healthy. And I'm always clean, thank you very much.

Glad you're okay....now I feel like getting tested just in case, I'm paranoid and did deal with a liar after all though he said shit to make himself sound better than he was too.

MacDaddy said:

johnart said:

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

I agree. I've been poz since 2008 and like you, undetectable and healthy. And I'm always clean, thank you very much.

I love the both of ya's!!

MacDaddy said:

johnart said:

I do know the feeling.

As someone who's poz (undetectable and healthy thank the Universe and Cher ) I hate that term "clean". I know most folk don't really mean anything by it. It's just...ugh...

I agree. I've been poz since 2008 and like you, undetectable and healthy. And I'm always clean, thank you very much.

Again, I'm sure many/most folk use this word in the way many (even I sometimes ) use the word "gay" to mean something else (a term they've heard so much they're now accustomed to) but I detest the connotation. It implies that others are somehow un-clean.

I mean, I'm a very dirty-boy, but in entirely different ways.

tinaz said:

MacDaddy said:

I agree. I've been poz since 2008 and like you, undetectable and healthy. And I'm always clean, thank you very much.

I love the both of ya's!!

johnart said:

MacDaddy said:

I agree. I've been poz since 2008 and like you, undetectable and healthy. And I'm always clean, thank you very much.

Again, I'm sure many/most folk use this word in the way many (even I sometimes ) use the word "gay" to mean something else (a term they've heard so much they're now accustomed to) but I detest the connotation. It implies that others are somehow un-clean.

I mean, I'm a very dirty-boy, but in entirely different ways.

JohnArt, and MacBabyDaddy, I appreciate you 2 being honest on here

I have a serious question...

I always get guys who want to hook up with me telling me that they're poz, but "undetectable". What exactly does that mean? Does that mean they still have it, and are the chances of me being infected still the same? I am so clueless about this lol

Oh, and to answer the OP

Yes, it is very nerve wracking lol

I get tested every 5-6 months, and I stay clean

ScarletScandal said:

JohnArt, and MacBabyDaddy, I appreciate you 2 being honest on here

I have a serious question...

I always get guys who want to hook up with me telling me that they're poz, but "undetectable". What exactly does that mean? Does that mean they still have it, and are the chances of me being infected still the same? I am so clueless about this lol

I started with my HIV treatment shortly after I was diagnosed.

Having an undetectable viral load, means that the virus isn't showing up on tests, it's a sign that the anti-HIV medications are working. An undetectable viral load doesn't mean the HIV virus has been eradicated from your body. Even though the virus is undetectable in the blood, it is still hidden in other parts of your body, such as the brain, reproductive organs, and lymph nodes. If you stop treatment, the virus will start reproducing again and your viral load will increase, putting your health at risk.

[Edited 12/8/11 10:25am]

johnart said:

Cerebus said:

Wait a minute. Poz as in HIV positive? Is that something you just sprung on people out of the blue right there, or is it something you've discussed before? Because we've talked about some pretty heavy shit over the years and I had no idea. Dude, that's heavy. ... not really sure what else to say.

It's not something I like to have huge long discussions about, because well...it's shit I have to deal with just like other folk have to deal with some other illnesses or heavy shit, but this is something that has been discussed in the past. Here and at NPGU.

Since '97, but like I said, undetectable and healthy. Knock on wood. (hehe..."wood:)

Johnart...thank you for being honest about this.

I wish more people could be more open about this. It's a serious illness that needs immediate treatment. Do you by any chance go to support groups or raise awareness for the disease?

Terrib3Towel said:

I was a nervous wreck while in the waiting room at the clinic. Thank God I'm STD free!!

Anyone else been in this situation?

I know this is kinda personal, but I'm so happy I'm CLEAN!!

Congratz!

paintedlady said:

I was this way when I went in for my mamogram... I am OK.

RenHoek said:

Yep... totally understand where you were at... in my 20's I'd broken up with a girl because I found out she was sleeping with the whole damn neighborhood and I was scared to death I'd caught something...

when I got the news I was clean I impulsively grabbed a female friend who'd come to lend supprt and kissed her deeply...

When you reverse the two bolded sentences....this is the funniest shit EVER!!!!

The first time I had an HIV test (I've had two), was about 20 years ago. It was when I met Sweetie. I wanted to make sure everything was okey-dokey, because I had a sense that this might be something that would last awhile.

I was nervous as hell because I found out that someone I dated (and slept with) in college came out a couple years later (after college) - and that he'd died of AIDS. (It was in the very early days of epidemic. By all accounts, he went quickly.)

I figured he wasn't infected when we were together (as I say, it was early days - and I had never shown any signs of illness). But still, waiting for the results was awful.

The second time, I went to the doctor because I had a cyst. She started palpating the thing without goggles, and the thing opened up and shot gunk into her eye. They asked me to take an HIV test as a precaution. I could hardly refuse.